Watchdog threat after mast defeat

Defeated campaigners are threatening to refer council a national standards watchdog after they lost their fight against a phone mast being installed.

Telecoms giant Orange has put up an eight-metre mast in Ullswater Drive after a four-year fight with neighbours who thought they had seen the back of the plan.

People living nearby are complaining of maladministration by West Berkshire Council and preparing a case for the local government ombudsman.

They have the backing of Reading West MP Martin Salter, who has criticised the council's performance as three-and-a-half wasted years.

He said: "No wonder local residents feel desperately let down.

"I intervened more than three years ago to get Orange to put the scheme on hold pending negotiations with West Berks to use existing lampposts, the so-called swap-out arrangement, instead of building a new structure.

"I intervened again three weeks ago and again they put it on hold and I received an assurance from both the leader and chief executive of West Berkshire Council that their insane decision not to pursue a swap-out agreement with Orange could be reversed.

"There is no longer any need to have these wretched masts polluting the environment when they can be hidden in existing street furniture."

Mr Salter wrote to West Berkshire chief executive Jim Graham: "Having secured time for West Berks and Orange to come up with alternative arrangements that would be more acceptable to local people, I am appalled that your officials have failed to grasp this opportunity."

Mr Graham told Mr Salter that the Orange decision to put up the mast was "a disappointment shared".

He wrote: "It is extremely disappointing that Orange weren't prepared to work further on the swap-out option.

"We did consider that option very seriously although during the negotiations we polled local residents on the swap-out option and we received only one response in favour."

He added: "We confirmed by phone and in writing our willingness to pursue this option."

Ivor Parr, of Ullswater Drive, said: "Everybody up here thought we'd got rid of the mast three years ago and then Orange turn up again and the mast went up last Monday."

Orange was granted planning permission for a phone mast in Ullswater Drive by West Berkshire Council in July 1999 but agreed to see if alternative sites could be found to improve its network coverage.

A spokesman said: "Following consultations with West Berkshire officers we have been unable to find suitable alternative locations that meet technical, legal and planning requirements."